Draft-key cotter



Sept. 16, 1930'. n. s. BARROWS DRAFT KEY COTTER Filed Nov. 24, 1924 Patented Sept 16, 1930 entrees-rates PATENT OFFICE DoNALn s. BaRRows oF noorznsrnn, NEVJ YORK, assrsnoa, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, v

i T rnnsvlvrrno'ron COMPANY, a oonroaarron or MARYLAND nnarnnnr CUTTER d Application 'filed November 24, 1924. Serial Nor 751,930.

The invention relates to retaining devices for use in connectionfwith removablesecur ing elements and more particularly to an attachment orwasher tobe employed in con- .5 junction witha species of cotter.

The primary object of the invention, generally stated, isto providean attachment or "washer device intended to be used in connection with the hairpin cotters provided for 110 the purpose of preventing the displacement of the keys in a draft rigging or gear though .as a matteroffact the device is capable of Wider application inasmuch as it might be employed in connection with other elements inmany different types of apparatus or mechanisms.

i A more specific object of the inventionis theprovision of an attachment or washer device associated with and held in place by the ordinary hairpin cotter, the device being of 'such construction as to prevent contact of the cotter with the car frame or any portion of therdraft gear, thereby avoiding wear and strain upon the cotter while providing greater bearing or wearing surface for the engagement-of the relatively stationary portion of the cooperating or coacting elements.

1 Another object of the invention is to provide a combined washer and cotter adapted tobe a lied to the he of a draft ri in p y can b asa unit, said washer member being so devised as to provide a form for the bight portion of the cotter.

An additional object of the invention is ,35 the provision of an attachment or auxiliary device of this character which, being formed preferably as a single p1ece or casting, will be eXtremel simple and ineX ensive tomanufaeture and easy to apply in add1t1on to pos- {l0 sessing the other above mentioned advant'ageous characteristics.

. To these and other ends the invention comprise the structural arrangement to be hereinafter set forth, though the specified construction disclosed is merely for purposes of illustration as variations may be made Within thescope of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a draft rigo gingand a portion of the car underframe may v with which the draft rigging cooperates, the

keys being equipped with my device.

V Figure 2 is a plan View of a portion of a draft key embodying the invention.

Figure 3 is a cross section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Although the invention is advantageously applicable to key-connected draft rigging, generally, I have, for purposes of explanation, illustrated as applied to a draft rigging mechanism of the character shown and describedin the patent to I. O. Wright, et al No. 841,757, issued January 22nd, 1907.

Referring to the drawing in detail, the numeral 1 designates a coupler of the draft rigging, 2 and 3 the followers, and 4 the springs located therebetween. These movable parts of the draft rigging are main ;tained in proper position 'betweenthe center sills 5 by means of keys 6. The end sill is indicated bythe numeral 7 while the striking casting and coupler carry-iron are designated by 8 and 9, respectively.

()n account of the constant movement of the transversely extending keys under nor mal conditions of operation of the draft rigging andthe tendency of the keys to move laterally when the cars are rounding curves, atbecomes-necessary to provide means coopcrating with the keys for retaining them in proper assembled relation. Means for accomplishing this purpose must necessarily, to be practicable, present a large wearing area or surface and must also permit side movementof the keys in addition to being readily detachable to enable the keys to be with the sill or cheek plate and to the fact that thecotter must be made from relatively soft material to permit the necessary bending and rebending thereof. It has also'been found that the corners of thebight portion are sometimes bent too-sharply causing failure at these points. It is with these facts in View that .Ihavedesigned the present auxiliary device or attachment which may in actual practice be-formed as a singlepiece or castingand which includes a body member 12 ,having an elongated base portion V13 adapted to" Contact and preferably conform, to the surface of thekey to which it is ap- "plied, The body 12 further includes an upstanding central portion 14' considerably reastoadmitthe cotter to be threadedthere through. The opposite end portions-ofthe duced in length as compared .withthe base andtorined with an opening 150i such size a body are provided with means for engaging the respective arms of thecotten-Landjsaid means maycomprise torkedor slotted openings,-as indicated at l6, the inner ends 17 0f the'tor'ks or' slots-being rounded off and merging intoor formedas continuations of "tlielower wall or portion 18 of the gopening T5; Thecurved surface iormed-bythe per ti-ons'l'? and 18 is intended t0 correspondto the shape of the bight portion of the cotter. The distance between theends of the inner wallsfottheforks or slots 1-6 corresponds substantially; to the distance "between the hol'es llinthekey a p lhe-basememberfm and 'cotter'lO are-assembled pr'ior to the'ben'cling-of the cotter into the hairpin-shapqby inserting the bar from which. the cotter is formed through the opening the cas t'ingi. It will be observed that the configuration of thesu-rface "of the member -12 iri' a'plane parallel, with the axis oftheopening'155'as shown in Figure 3, is semi-elliptical; I This semi-elliptical portion of't'he' was'her12 forms in effect a die member about "which the cott er*- lO' is bent into the hairpin shape. Owing to the contour of the central longitu dina'lsection of the member 12,2111 danger of forming sharp corners in the cotter ris avoided; and after the bar for forming the cotter is bent around. said nienuber it cannot be accidentl-y removed-therefrom", as will be obvious Since the distance from the vertical edges ,jl'lof the casting 12 is substantially equal to the distance between the openings 1 1 inlthe draft key-{6,the Washer and cotter may'be readily applied to-the draft keywithontdifliculty. Mamapplication'the proe je ctiiig ends of the'cotter a're bent ou't'of-a-lineto prevent the accidentalwithdrawal of the found advisable for any-reason:

' 1 5; The ends of the member" are then bent downwardly so that the'big'ht portion of the cotter coincides withthesur-itacebf lter with any portion of-t'he draft rigging and providing a relativelylarge bearingarea; c

2; In combination with =a' -retainingfleotter fora draft' ke'y forming part of a' draft rig-' cotter itself is out of contact with the center sills of the car, the wear being taken byone .ofthe sides of the attachment or washer device. As these sides areconiparatively large there is ample Wearing surface'provided.

The curved surtacesl? and '18 are of importance inasmuch as they will maintain the bight portion of thecotter in normal condition and shape so that under.no.circumst.ances will" therebe any .excessivesharpness in'th'e bend whichunder' ordinary conditions fre- V quentlyresults in breakage. IOwingto the fact thatboth sides and: ends of-the attach- I I l ments are the same'iit will be seen that'in case I of wear the Washer device; maybe. turned around so that-the unworn side will bepre sented to the center sills; such shoiild be From the foregoing *dQSCI lP'ClOII and-a 7 study ,of the drawings :it 'W'ill -b'ej apparent that thedevice will be iofi materialadvantage and will operate most etficiently as retaining means io'rthe draft keys while permitting them to have the movement-necessaryto their proper actioni Danger of'breakage from excessive wear and to'o'sharp bending-at the I I corners .sare entire'ly'avolded and resuT l tantdi-s- -placeinentiof the key or keys prevfllited.

161mm: i

- 1.1a combination w th e drattfliey: aw

vided with a pair of spaced holesand-form- I ing part of a draft rigging, an' auxiliary holes, cotter embr acingly, engaging s'aid memberwith {its {bottom surtacedisposed a upon the top-of the ke'y- {between .the "I q -member'and'positioned-with its arms in the holes, saia auxiliary ember having-its sides eXte'r-lding' oiitwardly beyond the cott-er for ,preventingthe engagement oat the cotging, an au ili a-ry member disposable upon the key and embracinglyengaged by the cotter said auXiliary member having a surface conformingly engaging the interjmediatepart of the cotter, tor'maintaining'the cotter in normal shape.

3. The combination with a draft key and retaining hairpincotter therefor, ofawasher a device disposable upon the key and having openings'for the passage of the-arms of the cotter, the washer cdevi'ce'having an i-n terme diate portion through the" cotter ex- 1' tends. c

4'. The combination'w ith a v retaining hairpin cotter therefonjot a washer device disposable upon' the key and having openings for the passage of thea ms of the cotter, the washer device having an inter-' mediate portionthroug hwhich the cotterex tends and further having laeurveidi-suriace against which thejinner portion of I thelbight of the cotter engages Wherebyto maintai c the cotter in normal shape and prevent too sharp bending thereof.

5. The combination with a draft key and U-shaped cotter therefor, of a retaining member comprising a body having a base portion disposable upon the key and slotted for the passage of the arms of the cotter, said member having an intermediate portion apertured for the passage of the bight portion of the cotter therethrough, both sides of the body projecting beyond the cotter.

6. The combination with a draft key and 'U-shaped cotter therefor, of a retaining member comprising a body having a base portion disposable upon the key and slotted for the passage of the arms of the cotter, said member having an intermediate portion apertured for the passage of the bight portion of the cotter therethrough, both sides of the body projecting beyond the cotter, the sides and ends being counterparts whereby the member may be reversible.

. 7 A device of the character described comprising a body including a base portion and an integral upstanding intermediate portion, the ends of the base portion being slotted for the passage and reception of the arms of a U-shaped cotter, said intermediate portion being apertured for the passage of the cotter. the inner ends of the slots merging into the lower wall of the aperture to define a continuous curved surface forming a bearing for the bight portion of the cotter and acting to maintain the same in normal shape.

8. An auxiliary member for draft keys comprising a base portion adapted for b ing seated on the end of a key which is normally perforated for the reception of a retaining cotter. said member being provided with slots registering with the perforations in the key and a curved surface extending upwardly and inwardly from the slots, an upstanding portion overlying the corresponding portion of the curved surface and formed with an aperture over and along said surface, a bar for forming a cotter, said surface serving as a forming die for bending the bar to the desired shape for the cotter and being of such a contour that after bending the cotter cannot be accidently removed therefrom.

9. A washer for use with draft key cotters comprising a base portion adapted for being positioned on the end of a draft key adjacent apertures for the reception of a cotter, said washer being provided with slots registering with said apertures and a surface extending upwardly and inwardly from said slots and being elliptical in contour between said slots,

an upstanding eye overlying the intermediate portion of said curved surface providing an aperture for the reception of said cotter, said curved surface serving as a formin die around which the cotter is bent and rom 

